Kiss me
by WannaBeBabe
Summary: Another Valentine's Day alone leaves Stephanie time to reflect on her life and loves, little does she know that strange circumstances will lead her heart's desire to her doorstep. It's a Babe story based on the song Kiss Me.
1. Chapter 1

****Author's Notes…This is my first attempt at a song based story. I just heard this song and I fell in love with it and then it made me think of Ranger and Steph, so I figured I'd give it a try. Just borrowing the characters from JE and the song is by Ed Sheeren. I'm not sure about this one, should I continue it or just call it good? Happy Valentine's Day to all my fellow Babes, hope you enjoy.****

It's Valentine's Day, a day for lovers and romance, and what was I doing to celebrate? I was sitting on my beat up, secondhand couch watching a Valentine's Day cupcake special on the Food Network, alone. I sighed, the alone part shouldn't really surprise me. I've been dating a Trenton police officer named Joe Morelli on and off for the last five years and never, not once, has he been in town for Valentine's Day. I was pretty sure he did it on purpose.

He did send me the standard dozen yellow roses that came every year with a similar note attached, this years was so romantic, "_Have a good one, Joe"._ Okay, so the man didn't have a romantic bone in his body. Still, it would have been nice just to have him on the couch next to me, to share a pizza and a beer, and maybe some Valentine's Day sex, but no, he said something came up at work and he'd be gone about a week. So here I was, thirty-six years old and I've never had Valentine's Day sex, and the prospect of that ever happening was looking grimmer and grimmer. Hell, at this point I'd settle for a kiss.

I trudged to the kitchen and opened the fridge, it was emptier than I remembered. There was nothing but moldy Kraft singles, how old do those have to be before they mold? I slammed the fridge, pulled on my torn winter coat, grabbed my handbag with the broken buckle, and picked up my keys with half a keychain attached.

Fifteen minutes later I pulled my POS green Sunbird to the curb in front of Pino's. I pulled the key from the ignition and the car gave a great groan and shook before turning off. I rolled my eyes at it. Why was everything in my life half broken?

Inside Pino's happy couples and families gathered around the tables, sharing their pizzas. I sighed again as I grabbed my sad little to go box and headed home to eat it, alone. I don't know why I did it, maybe I was just being pathetic because I was so lonely, but at the last minute I turned off and drove past Joe's house. The thing was, his lights were on and his SUV was in the driveway. I also wasn't sure why I decided to look in the window, but I was sure it had something to do with him lying about being out of town tonight.

Inside he was just sitting on the couch with his dog, Bob, watching something on his TV and eating his own pizza. Now I could have just knocked on the door and asked him what the hell was going on, but instead I got back into my car and drove home. It didn't need explanation, he'd rather spend the night alone than with me. Maybe occasional sex and hockey games was really the best I could hope for in a relationship. Not that I wanted a commitment and marriage and all that, but I was still a woman. I wanted love and romance and sparks. Clearly, Joe was never going to be the man to give me those things.

I wondered if it was just time to pull the plug on this thing with Joe. We were stuck in a weird relationship that wasn't going anywhere and was half broken like everything else I owned. I loved him and he loved me, but it wasn't that powerful, passionate love you see in movies or read about in books. It was more the kind you see on Dr. Phil. We had issues, ones we ignored and hid behind sex. I sighed as I dropped my pizza box onto the coffee table and popped the top on the can of coke.

As I curled up on my couch again. My eyes settled on the second bouquet of flowers that sat on my counter. It was a big bunch of daisies from my friend Diesel. He'd sent them every year since our fake wedding. The card attached this year said, _"Listen to your heart, it knows what you want, Love Diesel." _I smiled as I thought about the big goofy guy, I could really use him now. He was always a good listener and cuddled well, but I couldn't call him. He was probably doing something with his girlfriend anyway. Besides Diesel wasn't what my heart wanted.

What my heart wanted was mysteriously missing this year. The one man I had always felt that passionate, electricity filled heat with. The one man that I loved with my entire heart. The one man that I wanted to hold me on this cold night. The problem was I was certain it was one sided, especially now.

I usually got one, single, perfect, long stem, red rose delivered to me, but this year it never came. The sender, Ranger Manoso, was also mysteriously missing from my life. I hadn't spoken to him in close to a month. I wasn't even sure if he was in town. I admit I don't like to think about how long it had been since he'd called or stopped by, because it hurt. I wondered if I'd finally pushed him away for good or if he decided I wasn't worth his time or if he found someone else that wasn't so complicated.

I wasn't sure what I wanted from Ranger. That wasn't exactly true. I wanted him to let me in and tell me he wanted to have a relationship with me, but that wouldn't be Ranger. No, Ranger lived a dark, mysterious life and didn't let anyone in as far as I knew. He told me he loved me, but he couldn't do a relationship with me. His life didn't allow such a thing. It made me wonder if his life were different if he'd want me. I hoped he would, someday.

I sighed as I opened my pizza box. I rolled my eyes as I looked at the heart shaped pizza. I just couldn't get away from this holiday. I pulled a slice out of my pizza and looked at the incomplete heart. Then I laughed sadly, without Ranger my heart felt like it had a slice missing too.

After I finished stuffing myself full of cheese and sausage, I got into my pajamas. I pulled the quilt and pillow off my bed and curled up on the couch to watch My Bloody Valentine. I finally smiled, I might be alone this year, but at least, for once, there were no killers after me.

I was starting to doze just after midnight when I heard someone rattle my door knob. I got up from the couch and tiptoed to the kitchen for a weapon. I heard keys fall, hit the ground, and someone curse, "Fuck. Shit." I laughed and put my gun down when I recognized the voice. This was followed by a few little moans and grunts. Then I heard a little knock on the door. I opened the door to find Ranger standing in front of me, holding a big bouquet of red roses.

I looked down at the ground and saw a set of keys lying at his feet. "I dropped my keys," he said slowly. I watched him sway on his feet a little.

I bent to pick them up and looked at the familiar cut of the keys, "Are these for my apartment?"

"Duh," he said walking past me. I shut the door and flipped the lock and deadbolt, and stared at his back. Did he just say, duh? "I can keep them, right?"

"I don't see why not," I told him, as I took the keys and dropped them on the counter next to my own. I was sure he probably had more than one set anyway. "Are the flowers for me?"

He smiled then, enough to light up his entire face. "Yes," he said excitedly as he held them out and bounced on his toes a little. "I was going to come earlier, but they wouldn't let me leave right away." I know I made a face at him. What the hell was happening? I didn't know anyone that could stop Ranger from doing what he wanted to do. "I told Cal that I had to come here. I had to make sure you got these flowers or you'd forget that I love you."

I just blinked at him. I wondered if this was some sort of joke, this wasn't my Ranger. My Ranger didn't smile, and giggle, or knock on my door, or volunteer information before I asked a question. My Ranger was quiet, and cool, and picked locks and entered buildings without permission, and kept every detail and thought he had a secret. He was Batman, not whatever this was. I was completely baffled by this. "Um, well, they're beautiful," I answered.

He handed me the flowers and kissed my cheek. "You didn't forget that I love you, did you?"

I just blinked at him for a moment. "No, I didn't forget." Now the thing about Ranger was, he did tell me he loved me often enough, but after he said it to me it was usually followed by an offer to have sex or to tell me that it wasn't the kind of love that was going to go anywhere, like down the aisle. This was just weird. I was still confused, but I took the flowers into the kitchen and put them on the counter next to the others. "Thank you, Ranger. I'm glad that you thought of me."

"I never stop thinking about you," he said with a big smile. "You think of me too, don't you, Babe?"

"Of course I do," I agreed. He moved toward me until we were standing chest to chest, then he leaned into me and pressed his lips to mine for a little peck of a kiss.

"Good," he said happily when he moved a step back from me. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Um, Happy Valentine's Day, Ranger," I said back. I stood there too stunned to offer him a drink like a good Burg hostess should. Everything was wrong with this Ranger, even the kiss he'd just given me was wrong. He didn't press me into the wall or trap me against the counter, his tongue didn't explore my mouth, and my panties didn't go up in flames. It was just a nice, sweet kiss that felt like he just meant to show me he loved me and strangely enough, it made my heart beat a little faster.

He started to stagger into the living room, so I followed. Was he drunk? He certainly wasn't moving with his normal, panther-like grace. He was kind of wobbling and dragging his feet and swaying. That would make sense. I'd never seen him drunk before. It wasn't something he did, he liked to be in control of himself at all times. I smiled, now I knew why. He lost control of his mouth when he was under the influence. I stopped watching him try to walk when my phone rang. "Hello?"

"Steph?" a male voice asked. "It's Cal."

"Oh, hey, what's going on?" I asked and I meant more than just the phone call.

"Listen," he said before he took a deep breath. "Um, I'm down in the parking lot and I'll stay until morning in case there are any problems, but he wouldn't stay in the hospital and he wouldn't go home. He said he needed to get you those flowers."

Hospital? "What the hell happened?"

"He's alright, a mild concussion, some bruised ribs, and some stitches in the shoulder," Cal answered. "He doesn't do very well with pain killers and they gave him an injection before we left the hospital. He's going to be out of for a while."

"Oh," I said looking over at Ranger. He was standing in front of the couch still swaying on his feet.

"Get him to bed and keep him there for the next day or two," Cal said again.

"Here?"

"Yeah, if he goes home he'll go back to work too soon. I'm sure you can think of a way to keep him in your bed," he said with a little laugh. "Call me if you need anything."

He hung up. Crap. I looked over at the man I loved and wondered what had happened to him tonight. "Ranger?" He looked over at me and smiled again. He looked so dopey I almost laughed. "I'm tired. Do you want to go to bed?"

"That's an offer I'd never refuse, Babe," he answered with what I think was supposed to be his wolf grin, but it somehow came up crooked and silly looking.

I laughed and shook my head. I wasn't sure what to do with this Ranger. "Come here," I told him as I held out my hand. I took him into the bedroom and closed my eyes as I opened his belt and unbuttoned his pants. I shimmed them down to his knees before I helped him sit on the edge of the bed. I figured with bruised ribs he couldn't bend, that was probably why he hadn't pick the keys off the ground earlier. I untied his boots and pulled them off, then pulled his pants down and slipped them over his feet.

"My socks too," he mumbled. "Only wearing socks isn't sexy."

I looked at the black socks on his bare legs and laughed. "I don't know. If anyone can pull off the sock only look, it's you," I told him as I squeezed his calf. He did have really nice legs, so muscular and strong and covered in that smooth mocha latte skin. Yum.

"Babe," he said laughing at me, but I complied and pulled off his socks too. The thing about Ranger is that he has a perfect body, everywhere, even his feet were sexy, for feet. "I think I need help with the shirt too," he finally said pulling me from my inspection of his lower limbs. I nodded before crawling closer to him. I knelt between his legs and unbuttoned all the buttons on his shirt before I pushed it open. I sucked in my breath when I saw the three large purple bruises on his beautiful chest.

I hadn't let myself think about how he had been hurt. I didn't like to think about him being in danger, but now I was looking it straight in the face, so to speak. He'd been shot, four times. I felt tears in the corners of my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. Not right now. Not while he was watching me. I lightly touched one of them with my fingertips before I leaned closer and kissed the center of the bruise. "Babe," he whispered as his fingers moved into my curls. "I love you so much."

"I know," I whispered back to him. I also knew he was higher than a kite right now and I couldn't take what he was saying too seriously. I moved closer so I could wrap my arms around him and lay my head against his chest. I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound of his heart beating against my ear. "I love you too, Ranger," I whispered. He tilted my face up toward his and kissed me again. This time it wasn't so chaste, his tongue slipped between my lips coaxing me to return the gesture. Even though it lasted long enough that my knees were sore from my position on the floor, the kiss never turned sexual. It felt more like we both needed to be loved and show our love in that moment.

I broke away, before I allowed myself to get carried away. I didn't want to hurt him or take advantage of his fragile state. So I stood and helped him take the shirt off his arms. Then I turned him and settled him back onto the pillow. I looked down into his face, trying to ignore the huge bandage over his left shoulder. I wanted to ask how it happened, but I wasn't sure I was ready to hear the details yet. He was my superhero, he wasn't supposed to get hurt. I didn't want to admit he was just a man, who could be hurt the same as the rest of us.

I returned to the living room, turned off the TV, and collected my pillow and quilt from the couch. When I returned to the bedroom he was just looking at me. I pulled the sheet and blanket up over him, before tucking the quilt around him. I crawled in the other side of the bed and settled on my side so I could look at him. "You never said that to me before," he said quietly.

"What?"

"That you love me," he said.

I crawled closer until my head was on his good shoulder and I could breathe in the scent of the warm skin on his neck. "I'm sorry that I haven't said it before," I whispered to him. "I've been in love with you for a long time."

"When I was shot tonight I thought one of the bullets pierced the vest for a few minutes. All I could think about was you," he told me. I moved my hand over his heart where the darkest of the bruises was visible, just where the sheet stopped covering him. "I didn't want to leave you."

"I don't want you to leave me either," I whispered back to him. Just his strong heartbeat under my fingertips made me feel better. Thank God he was wearing a vest. I'd come close to losing him forever. I knew I didn't want to come that close ever again. "We have each other right now." I leaned over and kissed him again. His right hand came up behind me and pulled my face closer as he deepened the kiss. Even beat up and drugged the man could make my toes curl. I pulled back enough to look into his eyes.

He stared back at me. "I tried to stay away from you, you know?"

No, I didn't know. "Why?" I asked. Maybe it was wrong of me to ask him about his feelings when he was like this, but when else would he answer me. Like I said, Ranger keeps his secrets buried deep and that included what he really thought of me.

"It'll hurt too much when you leave me for Morelli," he told me.

I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I knew there was a good shot he'd never remember this conversation anyway. "I'm never going to leave you for Morelli. You're what my heart wants."

His fingers traced the side of my face before he pulled me back down to him and kissed me again. Then he looked kind of thoughtful before he spoke again. "I don't want to get shot and killed some night and leave you and our kids alone. I have to be able to walk away from field work before I can marry you."

"You thought about marrying me?" I asked him.

He smiled at me then. "Yes." He just looked into my eyes, but he seemed to be having a problem focusing. "I quit taking federal jobs and stopped bounty hunting so I'd be safer, but I can't get out of the field with my work at RangeMan."

I could tell he was getting tired. I knew I should stop talking so he could sleep. "You're planning to quit working in the field? Someday?" I asked him.

He nodded, "That's been the plan since the first time I held you in my arms."

I just stared down at him. The man I loved so much was finally making sense and it only took an injection of narcotics. "I wish you would have told me that then. You know I'd wait forever for you," I whispered back to him before I kissed him again.

His good arm moved over my back, touching me gently as our lips moved together. I didn't want to stop, but I knew I had to, he needed his rest. "I hope that's true. You don't know me yet, but I'll tell you all my secrets in the morning," he told me.

"You should get some sleep," I answered. I couldn't think about what would happen when he woke in the morning. I kissed his lips again, before kissing each of his bruises. "I love you, Ranger."

"I love you too, Steph. Will you hold me?" His eyes were fluttering shut.

"For as long as you allow me," I answered. I settled back down into the crook of his arm, lying on his shoulder I wrapped my arm and leg around him, holding him against my body. I pressed my lips against his warm neck.

"Forever," he answered. Then he was out like a light.

I laid there listening to his breathing, feeling his heart beat against my own. I wasn't sure what we'd do from here, but right now, right here, this felt like falling in love.

_Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran_

_Settle down with me  
>Cover me up<br>Cuddle me in_

_Lie down with me  
>And hold me in your arms<em>

_And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck  
>I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet<br>And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
>You wanna be loved<br>You wanna be loved  
>This feels like falling in love<br>Falling in love  
>We're falling in love<em>

_Settle down with me  
>And I'll be your safety<br>You'll be my lady_

_I was made to keep your body warm  
>But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms<em>

_Oh no  
>My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed in my neck<br>I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet  
>And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now<em>

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
>You wanna be loved<br>You wanna be loved  
>This feels like falling in love<br>Falling in love  
>We're falling in love<em>

_Yeah, I've been feeling everything from hate to love from love to lust  
>From lust to truth I guess that's how I know you<br>So I hold you close to help you give it up_

_So kiss me like you wanna be loved  
>You wanna be loved<br>You wanna be loved  
>This feels like falling in love<br>Falling in love  
>We're falling in love<em>

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
>You wanna be loved<br>You wanna be loved  
>This feels like falling in love<br>Falling in love  
>We're falling in love<em>


	2. Chapter 2

****Author's note…Wow, okay, thank you all for the positive feedback on this one. I think it'll be pretty short, three or four chapters, but I'll finish it out for you and give them a happy ending. I don't know if I'll get them done this quickly though, I'm currently taking advantage of my two year old's nap and writing instead of doing the dishes and laundry like I should be.****

I woke to someone pounding on the door. I cracked my eyes and realized I was still in Ranger's arms. I felt him stir against me, but he didn't seem to wake. I rolled over and got out of the bed. I didn't want to disturb him. I'd had to wake him a few times over the night, because of the concussion, so I figured he didn't sleep any better than I had.

I didn't bother getting dressed, I was in a Snoopy tee shirt and white cotton panties. I didn't think it was racy enough to scare anyone, plus maybe it'd distract from my morning hair. I looked through the peephole and sighed before I flipped open the locks and opened the door. "Morning, Cupcake," Morelli said. He handed me a tasty pastry box and kissed my forehead.

"I thought you were out of town on a job," I answered back. I needed to hear his excuse.

"Job's done," he answered with no further explanation. He flopped himself onto the couch and smiled again. "Have you heard from Ranger?"

"What does Ranger have to do with this?" I asked at him.

"I was just wondering if you saw him or heard anything." God, I hate it when he's dodgy. He knew something, but he wasn't going to admit it. It was more like he was trying to trap me into saying something.

I put the doughnuts down and started the coffee pot before I walked back toward the living room. "Heard what?"

"Don't get crazy. He was shot last night, but he's fine."

I glared at Joe. "He's not fine. No one takes four bullets and is fine."

Joe glared back. "So you heard?"

"Yep."

"'I was just responding to a robbery. I didn't expect him to do that," Joe grumbled.

"You shot him?" I screeched.

"No, I didn't shoot him," he yelled back like I was stupid. "He shoved me behind him and took the hits."

"Babe," Ranger said from the bedroom doorway. I turned to glare at him. He was still naked, with the sheet wrapped around his waist. Normally that would have distracted me from my anger, but Joe had me riled up and I was even more pissed that he knowingly took a bullet, again.

"You put yourself in the line of fire?" I yelled at him. "On purpose?"

"It was me or him and I was wearing the vest," he answered like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. I focused my eyes on him. The drugs were clearly out of his system. He was back to being his calm, cool, in-charge self. I felt a little disappointed.

"And what if it would have pierced the vest or they aimed high and got you in the head or something," I yelled back.

"But it didn't and he didn't," he answered like that was a good enough answer.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Joe interrupted as he stood and looked from Ranger to me.

"He wanted to make sure he saw me on Valentine's Day," I told Joe. I figured a little dig about his lack of sentiment was deserved. "And he wasn't in any shape to leave so I put him to bed."

"Christ, I bet you did," he bitched. "Can't you get pants on or something?"

Ranger just smiled at him. God, it was too early for this crap. Men! "Your sweatpants and tee shirts are in my bottom drawer," I finally muttered as I went back to the kitchen for sugar and caffeine.

"That's handy," Joe commented.

I shot another glare his direction. "He left his stuff here after the Scrog thing. Not that I owe you an explanation."

"I didn't ask for one," he grumbled back.

I could tell he was pissed. He followed and poured himself a cup of coffee and grabbed a glazed doughnut. Ranger reappeared a few minutes later in his black sweat pants and tee shirt. His hair was still tousled from sleep and he had a day's worth of stubble on his face. Dang. I bit into my Boston crème and moaned, "Mm, yum." Both guys looked at me. I shrugged, I wasn't even sure if it was him or the doughnut I referred to.

Ranger poured himself a cup of coffee, black, and grabbed a chocolate glazed doughnut from the box. "Body not a temple today?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"I haven't eaten in eighteen hours and my choices are doughnuts or moldy, fake cheese," he answered. I wasn't sure when he had the chance to look in my fridge, but I was sure it wasn't last night. I would have asked if Joe hadn't been standing there. "Besides, the temple feels like it was hit by a freight train. I think it needs a day off."

"Good, because Cal told me to keep you in my bed for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours so you won't be tempted to work," I informed him.

"Did he say how he expected you to do that?" Ranger asked with a knowing smile.

"He may have suggested I already knew how to do that," I mumbled. Ranger's smile spread across his face, double dang. How did just his smile cause tingles in the netherlands? I rubbed my thighs together to try to stop it. Ranger didn't miss it, his eyebrow lifted in a silent question.

Joe hadn't missed a thing either. "He looks well enough to go home to me," Joe finally spoke.

"You saw his chest, how can you say that," I asked. "He's sore."

"Of course he's sore, but he can sleep in his own bed," Joe bitched.

"Only if I go home with him," I bitched back. "He was so sore last night I had to undress him before we went to bed." Joe started to hiss. "Oh, no, you don't. He saved your ass last night so you can't throw a fit about me taking care of him."

Joe tossed a little floral card in front of me, walked into the living room, and plopped onto the couch. I looked down at the card. It was in Ranger's handwriting. "_Six roses, one for each year I've known and loved you. I hope to buy you dozens more, someday. I love you, Carlos_." I looked up at him, surprised I hadn't seen the card last night. He met my gaze with one of his blank stares. Great.

"When did you write this?" I questioned.

He picked up the card, looked at it, and tucked it back into the flowers. "When I bought them," he answered. Just perfect. We were back to regular Ranger answers too. Never give the enemy too much information, right? I couldn't deal with him in front of Joe so I turned to face Joe.

"Why didn't you call or stop over to tell me about this last night?" I asked.

"I didn't come over last night, because I was thinking," he said.

"About what?"

"Manoso," he answered. I looked over at Ranger, he still just gave me a blank look, meeting my eyes, but not letting me see what he was feeling. "What do you feel for us, Steph? You can't keep going like this with the two of us."

Awe fuck, here it was. He'd finally just laid it out there and in front of the other man too. I grabbed another doughnut and stuffed it into my mouth. This conversation called for at least a half dozen. Neither of them said anything as I finished eating it, but when I reached for a third Ranger caught my hand. "Babe," he whispered to me. "Let's do this. I think we've all been living in denial land too long."

"Crap," I muttered as I stumbled to the living room and sat in the arm chair. Ranger stood behind the couch, but on the opposite side Morelli was sitting upon. I suspected he didn't want Morelli to see him struggle with sitting, but then who knows with Ranger. Maybe he just wanted a place where he could make a fast get away. "What do you want me to say?"

Joe just shook his head. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you," I answered without even having to think about it.

"And Manoso? You love him?"

I looked up at Ranger and wondered how much of our conversation he remembered from the night before. "Yes," I answered again. "What about you, Joe?"

"You know I love you, Cupcake." He looked down at his shoes and shrugged. "After he was shot last night he was mumbling to me about how much he loved you and he made me promise to take care of you better."

I looked from Joe to Ranger again. His expression hadn't changed, but I saw the grip he had on the cushion of the couch. I wondered if this had been when he thought the bullet pierced the vest. "It was," he answered my unasked question.

Joe looked between us and shook his head again. "I just realized that I could never take care of you and keep you safe like he can," he finally said. "You know I don't like your job or the dangerous shit you do, but you do it anyway. You won't give it up for me and I can't be the one to protect you from it."

"So what then?" I asked him.

"You're never planning to marry me, are you?" I couldn't answer that. I wanted to marry him on some level, but on another I knew it would be all wrong. He nodded then. "You were always waiting for him to offer the things you didn't want with me."

"Joe." I didn't know what to say. "I love you and care for you."

"Just not the way you love him," he answered. I felt the tears fall down my face as I nodded yes. "I think that about covers things." He stood then.

I followed him to the door. "Joe, wait," I said trying to get him to stop. "I didn't want to lose either of you."

"I know," he said looking at me sadly. "I'll call you. We can get a pizza sometime." I nodded yes to him. He looked past me to Ranger. "You're turn to promise me that you'll keep her safe and love her the right way." He nodded yes at Morelli.

When the door was closed I stood staring at it, afraid to turn around and look at Ranger. "Babe." It was whispered against my neck. "I can remember last night."


	3. Chapter 3

*****Okay, last chapter. Totally managed to finish this in one day and I still have an hour to shower and get ready before my husband gets home from work. Whoot! Whoot! Hope you like their happy ending. I cut it off there, but feel free to imagine all of the smut that would follow. Thanks for the follows and reviews.*****

_When the door was closed I stood staring at it, afraid to turn around and look at Ranger. "Babe." It was whispered against my neck. "I can remember last night." _

I stiffened at his words. I guess part of me had been hoping he'd forget and things would go back to usual for us, while another part of me was really hoping he meant what he'd said and we could be together, but neither part of me wanted to hear what he said next. "I was really messed up from the pain meds." That was enough to set me off. He wasn't going to walk out on me again.

"Of course you were. Why else would you be so nice to me? Be so excited to see me? Tell me you needed me? Tell me you loved me and wanted us to have a future together? Kiss me and hold me and not once mention that you only wanted me as a fuck?" I still hadn't turned around. I hadn't looked at him, but he was still there at my back, holding my shoulders so I couldn't step away.

"You're right," he whispered along my skin. "I wouldn't have done any of those things if I wasn't under the influence of narcotics."

"So that card, you wrote that while you were drugged up too?" I asked in a harsh voice.

"Would it be easier for you if I said yes," he asked in a low growl.

"Fuck you, Ranger," I yelled at him as I struggled to get away, but even injured he could restrain me easily. "Let go of me and get out if that's what you want."

He spun me then and pressed me against the door as he held my hands above my head with his good arm. "It's not what I want," he yelled back at me. I could see the anger in his eyes as he stared at me. "What I want is for you to tell me the truth."

"What truth is that?" I knew I could twist or throw my weight at him. With his injured ribs he wouldn't be able to hold me, but even as pissed as I was I didn't want to hurt him.

He pressed his forehead to mine so we were staring into each other's eyes from only an inch away. "Would you have said the things you said to me if I hadn't been drugged?"

I struggled to free myself again, but he only held me firmer. "No."

The laugh that came out of his mouth was dark and hollow sounding. "Did you mean them or were you just playing with me?" I twisted then, trying to pull my hands free as I turned away from him. He grabbed my chin with his left hand and forced me to look at him. "If you meant it, say it again." I kicked him, then, but he only laughed. He lifted me off the ground and held me against the door with his body. "Tell me."

I glared into his eyes, meeting the hard look he gave me. "Yes, I meant it."

"Tell me now, in the daylight, while we're both sober," he demanded. "If you meant it, say it again."

I took a deep breath and whispered, "I love you, Ranger."

"You're not going to leave me and run off after Morelli?" he asked in that still deadly, cold voice.

"No, I'm not going back to Morelli," I breathed as his body moved against mine. "I want you."

"You're mine?"

"Do you want me to be?" I asked back.

"Yes."

"Then I'm all yours," I moaned as his lips found mine.

He broke away long enough to whisper into my ear, "I love you, Stephanie. God, I love you so much."

With those words, something shifted between us. The anger and doubt was gone. I pulled him back to bed. He sat on the edge and I crawled over his lap, straddling his hips. We just sat there looking at each other, his hand moving into my curls. He pulled me to him and kissed me again. I melted a little, losing focus as his lips brought me close to the edge of ecstasy. "Babe," he moaned. "I bought those flowers on the way here."

"It doesn't matter anymore," I told him as I leaned in to kiss him again.

"No, it does matter," he said as he caught my shoulders and moved me away from him. "I stopped at the floral shop and bought the flowers, then I was driving here. The alarm sounded on one of our accounts. I was a few blocks away. I was the closest man to the scene," he told me. I nodded back. "I pulled on the vest I had in the backseat and responded. When I got there Morelli and another cop were just getting out of their car. I don't know what was going on, but for some reason they didn't have eyes on the second man. I only had seconds to react. It was just an instinct to cover him."

I nodded back to him. "I'm glad Joe wasn't hurt," I answered. He nodded to me as he looked down and took my hand. "I know you made the right decision, like you said you had the vest on, but God, Ranger, you have no idea what the thought of losing you does to me. It's not okay to trade your life for anyone."

"That's what I'm trying to say to you. I didn't think about it. I just did it. That's what I'm trained to do. I was trained to take a bullet without second thought. It's what made me an excellent soldier and bodyguard," he said. "It's also what makes me a horrible person to be in a relationship with."

"I know you said you didn't want to be with me until you were out of the field, but that's not fair to me," I said, practically begging him to give me a chance. "I get shot at just as much as you do. So does Joe and you thought he was an acceptable partner for me."

"Steph," he said stroking my cheek gently. "I came here last night to tell you that I was to the point in my life where we could have that someday if you wanted it."

"Then, yes, I want it," I assured him.

"I couldn't even make it to your house without proving myself wrong though," he told me. "I'll never be able to get away from this life."

"So you think we're better off alone? Wasting all this time we could have together, because something might happen to you, someday?" I asked. He didn't say anything he just looked down again. "No, no, no. For a smart guy you're being really stupid right now. That's not how this ends for us."

"Babe," he said with a sad head shake.

"No, I'm done walking away, because you think it'll be better for me. I don't care if we have six months or sixty years together, Carlos. We belong together for however long we're given. I'm not going to let you go again," I told him. "I love you."

"Babe," he whispered to me. "Please…"

"No, I'm not letting you go," I whispered back. I felt the tears on my face, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to lose this fight. "I need you." He pulled me against his chest and held me, my tears soaked his tee shirt, but I didn't let go. I couldn't let go. "Please, just let me love you," I asked in desperation. He held me a little tighter, but didn't respond for a long time. I'm not sure what was going through his mind, but he finally kissed my hair and sat me up.

"You're sure about this? You can handle my life?" he asked. He looked up into my face and wiped my tears with his thumb as I shook my head yes. "We do this and it's forever," he warned me.

"That's all I ever wanted," I assured him.

He pulled me back against him and kissed me then. I'd never felt a kiss like that before. It was sweet and tender and passionate and steamy, all at once. Somehow we ended up lying back in the bed, wrapped around one another. I cuddled against him and held him closer. "Me too," he said quietly, then touched his lips to my forehead. He picked up my hand and laced our fingers together. "Nothing will tear us apart again," he whispered then he pulled my hand to his lips and kissed each finger with a single word spoken in between each kiss. "Our. Love. Will. Last. Forever."

I smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him again. "Forever," I repeated to him before I sealed the deal with another kiss. I was glad we both finally chose to follow our hearts this year. I didn't know what could make it better, but he did.

"I want to make love to you," he whispered into my ear. I felt my body start to hum at the idea. "Every day for the rest of my life." His lips connected with the skin on my neck. Holy hot flash.

Definitely the best Valentine's Day ever.

**HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY YOU BEAUTIFUL BABES.**


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